The Interventional Radiology - Integrated Residency Program at UI Hospitals & Clinics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).  Information specific to the program requirements for an IR training program may be found at the ACGME's Radiology Overview page.

By the Numbers!

• 1 resident is accepted each year
• 5 total residents are ACGME approved for our training program
• 60 faculty members are available to train and mentor radiology residents

Scheduled Areas of Rotation

Residents rotate through all the below areas during the first three years of their residency:

• Body CT, fluoro and MR
• Breast imaging
• Chest
• Head & Neck
• Musculoskeletal
• Neuro CT, MR
• Non-invasive neurointerventional
• Nuclear Medicine, including PET and cardiac
• Pediatric radiology
• Ultrasound
• Veteran's Administration Medical Center
• Vascular interventional

During their 4th and 5th years, residents will train solely in IR.

Benefits

• Competitive stipends
• Comprehensive medical, dental, hospitalization and pharmacy benefits for residents and their dependents
• 21 days of annual paid time off

Board Certification Requirements

• Visit the American Board of Radiology for specifics on board certification requirements.

Where is Iowa City?

Iowa City is 220 miles directly west of Chicago on Interstate 80. It's also within a 4-5 hour drive to Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City and St. Louis. It has the cultural, educational, social and political opportunities of a bigger city with the values and ambiance of a Midwestern town. Its clean, safe, nothing is farther than a 15 minute car ride, it has a great city bus system (with bike racks!), wonderful parks, sports, schools and even sailing. Those who have lived here and left, frequently return because what they were looking for was in their own back yard. But we're not the only ones who think Iowa City is great:

• No. 1 "Employment Destination for Young College Grads" - Small Metropolitan Cities (AIER.org, 2019)
• No. 3 "Top 20 Best US Cities for College Grads" (Business Insider, 2019)
• No. 4 "Top 100 Best Places to Live" (Livability.com, 2019)
• UI Hospitals & Clinics ranked No. 15 in "America's Best Employers for Women" (Forbes, 2019) 
• No. 9 out of "50 Best College Towns in America" (Bestcollegereviews.org, 2019)
• No. 4 "Top 100 Best Places to Live" (Livability.com, 2018)
• No. 1 "College Town in America" (Saturdaytradition.com, 2018)
• Iowa No. 1 "Best States" (U.S. News & World Report, 2018)
• University of Iowa No. 10 "Nation's 25 Safest Universities" (ADT, 2018)
• No. 2 "Top 100 Places to Live" (Livability.com, 2017)
• Iowa City No. 9 Best Places to Live in Iowa (Niche.com, 2017)
• No. 2 "25 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs" (Entrepreneur.com, 2017)
• No. 4 for "21 Super Cool US Cities, Ranked" (Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog, 2017)
• No. 5 for "20 Best College Towns in America" (Business Insider, 2017)
• In top 50 of "Best Cities for Entrepreneurs" (Livability.com, 2016)
• No. 5 "25 Healthiest Cities in America" (24/7 Wall St., 2016)
• No. 9 "50 Best College Towns in America" (Best College Reviews, 2016)
• Voted "Best in the Midwest" for "Best Places to Retire" (Time.com/money, 2016)
• No. 9 "Top 100 Best Places to Live" (Livability.com, 2016)
• No. 8 "Top 30 Small Cities" (Area Development Magazine, June 2015)
• No. 6 "The 10 Smartest Cities in America" (MarketWatch.com, January 2015)
• No. 1 "Best Employment Destination Index for Smallest Metro Areas" (AIER, 2015)
• No. 10 "Top 100 Best Places to Live" (Livability.com, 2015)
• No. 4 out of 20 "Top College Towns" (AIER, 2015)

How ethnically diverse are the patients?

Like a lot of university towns, we have a large international community. Growing cultural diversity is another reason Iowa City is an interesting place to live. Diversity is embraced and celebrated with city and university events, festivals, clubs and programs. We work hard to recruit and retain minorities with affirmative action policies. About 20% of Iowa Citians are non-white, which is reflected at about the same rate in our patients.

What’s the weather like in Iowa City?

It depends on what you like. For about two weeks every winter it's very cold and windy and for two weeks every summer it's really hot and humid. The rest of the time it's pretty nice. We have a lot of sunny days even in winter-166 per year. Our average snowfall is 28", average rainfall is 35", average temperature in the summer is 72.6 and in the winter, 23.7. We consider our weather character building.

What is there to do in Iowa City when you're not working?

There are 15 different festivals and art fairs, plus concerts and race events. There are many music venues, sports events and neighborhood street fairs and garden walks. We also have a really big mall and several smaller ones, 41 parks, 9 golf courses, 6 public tennis courts, 6 public pools, some lakes and a reservoir with trails, camping and boating. There are bike trails, some famous bookstores, a ton of galleries and excellent museums. There are half a dozen or more performing arts venues including Hancher Auditorium. There's always something going on. Find more information from the Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

What's Iowa City like for kids and families?

There's ice skating, bowling, organized sports, 50 public parks, miniature golf, a great public library, a toy library, fun centers, swimming pools and 3 beaches, 9 museums including a children's museum, dance companies and public recreation centers that feature many activities for kids and families at little or no cost. We also have 20 movie screens and 50-licensed daycare providers. The Iowa City schools are perennially ranked among the top schools in the nation. Iowa City is unique in the facilities and services available for individuals with disabilities. Many families who have a family member with a disability are reluctant to leave Iowa City because they cannot duplicate those services in another location.

Are there any job opportunities for my spouse/significant other?

Yes, as of May 2019, Iowa City had an average of 2.1% unemployment. Also, check out University of Iowa's Dual Career Network.

What are the fellowship opportunities available?

We currently offer three ACGME accredited fellowships in Pediatric Radiology, Neuroradiology and Vascular Interventional Radiology; and a CAST accredited fellowship in Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology.  We also have four non-accredited fellowships in Breast Imaging, Body Imaging, Musculoskeletal Radiology and PET/CT Imaging.

Is this a family friendly program?

Yes! We love children and support residents in their efforts to balance work with family life. We have several dual physician resident and faculty families and understand the stresses. Women residents receive up to 6 weeks of paid maternity leave after delivery. Men get 5 working days off for paternity leave. The house staff health insurance policy provides full coverage for spouses and children. There are several childcare facilities near the hospital and one on-site.

Is there sufficient patient volume so that I can have multiple exposures to a variety of diseases?

Yes. As one of only a few tertiary care hospitals in the region, the Department of Radiology at UI Hospitals & Clinics offers unique imaging services to a broad range of patients from both within and outside the state of Iowa.

Do you have a research project requirement for graduation?

Yes, residents are expected to complete at least one research project during their residency and will present their research at Senior Research Night, which generally occurs in the fall. About 80% of projects are also presented a national meetings.

Do you sponsor visas?

Yes, we sponsor both J1 and H1 visas.

If you have additional questions please contact our program coordinator at glena-clarke@uiowa.edu.

Residents must apply for a license to practice in Iowa from the Iowa Board of Medicine at least three months (but no more than six months) prior to the start date of training.  Residents are prohibited from practicing in the State of Iowa without proper licensure.  For more information, please visit the GME's Medical Licensure website.

Benefits offered by University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics are competitive with other top training programs in the country.  Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, Hospitalization and Pharmacy Coverage
• Counseling and Crisis Management Services
• Life, Disability, and Malpractice Coverage
• Computer and Software Purchases
• GI Bill
• Paid Time Off and Leave Information
• Reduced UI Tuition
• Retirement Savings

Stipends are also comparable to other top training programs in the country and in keeping with the cost of living in Iowa.

Contracts are issued to house staff each year until training concludes, and promotion at the end of each year is granted based on demonstrated clinical competence and professional growth. House staff members who do not meet standards for promotion to the next level of training may require remedial action, as deemed appropriate by the Program Director.

The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Interventional Radiology - Integrated Residency Program ensures that it provides appropriate supervision for all residents, as well as a work hour schedule and a work environment that optimizes quality patient care, fortifies the educational trajectory of house staff members, and addresses all applicable program requirements. On-call duties are necessary components of the UIHC clinical care systems and educational programs; these duties are managed to ensure adequate periods of rest with appropriate levels of supervision to deliver safe, effective patient care. (The terms “resident” or “house staff member” used in this policy shall refer to resident and fellow physicians and dentists at all house staff levels.) 

SUPERVISION
The clinical activities of all residents are supervised by teaching staff and/or more advanced house staff members in such a way as to ensure that residents assume progressively increasing responsibility according to each resident’s level of education, ability and experience.  The teaching staff determines the level of responsibility accorded to each resident. On-call schedules for teaching staff and more advanced house staff members are structured to ensure supervision is readily available to those on duty. Call is no more frequent than approved by the Radiology RRC of the ACGME.  No resident will be on call during their first year of diagnostic radiology residency. 

The Interventional Radiology - Integrated Residency Program demonstrates that the appropriate level of supervision is in place for all patients cared for by all residents. These levels of supervision include:

• Direct Supervision – The supervising physician or dentist is physically present with the resident and patient.
• Indirect Supervision 
  i) with direct supervision immediately available – The supervising physician or dentist is physically present within the hospital or other site of patient care, and is immediately available to provide direct supervision.
  ii) with direct supervision available – The supervising physician or dentist is not physically present within the hospital or other site of patient care, but is immediately available by means of telephonic and/or electronic modalities, and is available to provide direct supervision.

PGY 1 residents are supervised either directly or indirectly with direct supervision immediately available while they acquire basic knowledge and skills specific to the specialty. Activities of PGY 2 residents and above are supervised by any level of supervision, as appropriate to the patient situation and resident capability. Supervision does not equate merely to the presence of more senior physicians or dentists nor with the absence of independent decision making on the part of residents. These supervision standards encompass the concepts of graded authority, responsibility and conditional independence that are the foundation of delegation of authority to more senior house staff members.  Should the resident ever need more assistance and information, they may contact the senior resident, fellow, or faculty on call.

WORK HOURS

Residents work hours are monitored by the Program Director/Associate Program Directors, Chief Residents and Program Coordinator by means of a work hour record on MedHub that residents are expected to be completed weekly.  The work hours for day and night duty on all rotations are designed such that hours worked will fall within the ACGME rules for resident work hours: no more than 80 hours per week when averaged over 4 weeks; one day off in seven when averaged over 4 weeks; post call, residents are excused by 1100 on the post call day if on an in-patient service, and 0730 following check out if on an outpatient rotation unless they have their continuity clinic that morning; there is at least a 10 hour period free of clinical duty between shifts.

All residents will report any concerns about resident hours directly to the Program Director/Associate Program Directors or via rotational evaluations solicited at the end of every rotation.

Specific work hour requirements are as follows:

1. MAXIMUM HOURS OF WORK PER WEEK:  The work hours of any resident must be limited to 80 hours per week (or other applicable limit as specified by the appropriate Residency Review Committee (RRC), when averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities and any moonlighting activities. Any time spent in the UIHC or at another institution for clinical and academic purposes, related to the residency or fellowship program, both inpatient and outpatient, shall count toward the weekly maximum.  Additionally, the weekly maximum shall include time spent for administrative duties related to patient care, the transfer of patient care, scheduled academic activities such as conferences, research related to the program, and any time the resident spends on-site after being called in to the hospital.  Not included in the weekly maximum is time spent outside of UIHC (or outside another institution related to the program’s academic purposes) for academic preparation, reading, and studying.

2.  MAXIMUM DUTY PERIOD LENGTH: 

• PGY 1 residents– scheduled duty periods must not exceed 16 hours in duration.
• PGY 2 and above residents – no schedule shall exceed a maximum of 24 hours of continuous duty in the hospital, with no more than 4 additional hours used for any transitional activities (i.e. maintaining continuity of medical and surgical care, transferring patient care, or attending educational sessions).
• In no event shall the PGY 2 or above resident accept a new patient (any patient for whom the resident has not previously provided care) during this 4-hour extension period.
• PGY 2 or above residents must not be assigned additional clinical responsibilities after 24 hours of continuous in-house duty.
• In unusual circumstances, PGY 2 and above residents, on their own initiative, may remain beyond their scheduled period of duty to continue to provide care to a single patient. Justifications for such extensions of duty are limited to reasons of required continuity for a severely ill or unstable patient, academic importance of the events transpiring or humanistic attention to the needs of a patient or family. Residents must appropriately hand over the care of all other patients to the team responsible for their continuing care.
• Any resident exceeding maximum duty period lengths will document their justification in the institution’s resident management system (i.e., MedHub)

3.  MAXIMUM FREQUENCY OF OVER-NIGHT IN-HOUSE ON-CALL DUTIES:  In-house call must not be scheduled more frequently than every third night when averaged over a 4-week period.

4.  MAXIMUM FREQUENCY OF IN-HOUSE NIGHT FLOAT: Residents must not be scheduled for more than six consecutive nights of night float or as specified further by the program’s RRC, as applicable.

5.  MANDATORY TIME FREE OF DUTY:  Residents must be scheduled for a minimum of one day free of duty every week (when averaged over four weeks).  This day off shall not include home call nor shall the resident be required to carry a pager. A day is defined as 24 consecutive hours.

6.  MINIMUM TIME OFF BETWEEN SCHEDULED DUTY PERIODS:  Based on the level of the resident, there are identified levels of time off between scheduled duty periods.

• PGY 1 residents – should have 10 hours, and must have 8 hours, free of duty between scheduled duty periods.
• Intermediate level residents (as defined by the program’s RRC) – should have 10 hours, and must have 8 hours between scheduled duty periods. They must have at least 14 hours free of duty after 24 continuous hours of in-house duty.
• Final year residents (as defined by the program’s RRC) – can participate in transition to practice activities when they are preparing to care for patients over irregular or extended periods. It is still desirable that these residents have 8 hours free of duty between scheduled duty periods, but there may be circumstances where residents must stay on duty to care for their patients or return to the hospital after shorter intervals.
• The Program Director monitors time off between scheduled duty periods.

7.  HOME CALL:  Residents returning to the hospital from home call must count their time spent in the hospital towards the 80-hour maximum weekly hour limit. The frequency of home call is not  subject to the every-third-night limitation but must satisfy the requirement for 1 day in 7 free  of duty, when averaged over 4 weeks.

• Home call activities must not be so frequent as to preclude rest and reasonable personal time for each resident.
• Residents are permitted to return to the hospital while on home call to care for new or established patients. Each episode of this type of care, while it must be included in the 80-hour weekly maximum, will not initiate a new “off-duty period.”

The IR - Integrated Residency Program meets the requirements of this policy as well as any applicable standard set by the ACGME, the appropriate RRC, or other accrediting or certifying body.  This policy is distributed by the GME Office to all GME employment contract holders.  The IR - Integrated Residency Program also distributes this policy annually the first week of July to residents, fellows and faculty.  The residency program monitors resident work hours with a frequency sufficient to ensure compliance with this policy and the ACGME/RRC/other accrediting or certifying body’s rules.

Below is a sample rotation schedule for interns.  The academic year is comprised of thirteen 4-week rotation blocks.

REQUIRED ROTATIONS

During the first year, new residents are introduced to all radiology subspecialties required for certification by the American Board of Radiology (ABR).  Every three weeks residents (all years) rotate through one of the following clinics where they will learn to identify anatomical structures and disease processes, as well as learn about specific imaging modalities:

• Body CT
• Body Fluoro
• Breast imaging
• Chest
• Head & neck
• Musculoskeletal
• Neuro CT, MR
• Non-invasive neurointerventional
• Nuclear medicine, including PET and cardiac
• Pediatric radiology
• Ultrasound
• Vascular interventional
• Veteran’s Administration Medical Center

CALL RESPONSIBILITIES

No call responsibilities during the first year.

IN-HOUSE CONFERENCES

In addition to clinical rotations, residents will also attend morning and noon conferences, interdisciplinary conferences, Journal Club, as well as lectures based on the text, Core Radiology by Jacob Mandell. 

STATE/NATIONAL CONFERENCES

• Iowa Radiologic Society annual meeting (expected attendance) - conference fees paid for by department
• Radiologic Society of North America annual meeting (must attend at least twice during residency)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Begin working on Physics Modules in preparation for the ABR Physics written and oral boards taken in the 2nd and 4th years, respectively
• Begin working through Dictation Modules
• Submit an ethics case
• Complete at least 2 CME credits during the year
• Maintain a case/procedure log

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

• ACR In-Training Exam (February)
• Rotation exams

During the 2nd year, residents will continue to rotate through the subspecialty clinics every three weeks and can choose one elective in either education (medical student teaching), research or other clinic.

CALL RESPONSIBILITIES

Second-year residents begin taking long call (night float). Call responsibilities occur in blocks of 6 nights, plus occasional weekends, dispersed throughout the year. The number of weeks the resident will spend on call during the second year varies according to schedule requirements.

IN-HOUSE CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Morning conferences
• Noon conferences
• Journal clubs
• Interdisciplinary conferences

STATE/NATIONAL CONFERENCES

• Iowa Radiologic Society annual meeting (expected attendance) - conference fees paid for by department
• Radiological Society of North America annual meeting (must attend at least twice during residency)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Physics Modules
• Dictation modules
• Submit an ethics case
• Complete at least 2 CME credits during the year
• Maintain a case/procedure log

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

• ACR In-Training Exam
• Rotation exams

CALL RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to rotating through subspecialty clinics every three weeks, 3rd-year residents will also take short call.  They will be responsible for reading more complex imaging studies, such as ultrasound, abdominal CTs, and MRI, and will also perform interventional procedures (drainages/lumbar punctures).  Call responsibilities will total approximately 3-4 weeks.

IN-HOUSE CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Morning conferences
• Noon conferences
• Journal clubs
• Interdisciplinary conferences

STATE/NATIONAL CONFERENCES

• Iowa Radiologic Society annual meeting (expected attendance) - conference fees paid for by department
• Radiologic Society of North America annual meeting (must attend at least twice during residency)
• American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (required) - tuition paid for by department plus a $1,500 stipend given to resident to defray expenses incurred during conference

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Complete Physics Modules
• Submit an ethics case
• Complete at least 2 CME credits during the year
• Maintain a case/procedure log
• Complete a systems-based practice project
• Present article for journal club
• Participate on a department committee

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

• ABR core exam (end of 3rd year)
• Rotation exams

During the 4th and 5th years of residency, residents will rotate exclusively through the Interventional Radiology service.  The first 3 years residents begin by assisting with IR procedures during their IR rotations, then transition to perform routine procedures with assistance.  Gradually the resident is trained to perform routine procedures independently during their 4th year, and then to perform complex procedures independently during their 5th year.

CALL RESPONSIBILITIES

IR residents will take home call every 4th night and no in-house call.  An attending physician is always assigned to the resident, whether on call or during regular business hours.  Clinic hours are from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm, M-F.  The on-call resident is expected to stay until they have finished their daily clinic duties.  If the resident is called in to perform a procedure with the attending physician during the night, the resident is not required to come in the next day and can stay home for a minimum of 10 hours. 

IN-HOUSE CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Interventional Radiology Core Conference
• VIR Case and QA Conference
• Core Curriculum Session based on material selected from Vascular and Interventional Radiology: The Requisites and Abrams Angiography: Interventional Radiology
• M&M Conferences
• Multidisciplinary Vascular Conference
• Radiology Grand Rounds
• Radiology/VIR Board Review
• Journal Club
• Tumor Board
• Multidisciplinary Thrombosis Group Conference
• GI Conference
• Transplantation Conference
• Renovascular/Nephrology Multidisciplinary Conference

STATE / NATIONAL CONFERENCES

Iowa Radiologic Society annual meeting (attendance expected) - conference fees paid for by department
Radiologic Society of North America annual meeting (must attend at least twice during residency)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Submit an ethics case
• Complete at least 2 CME credits during the year
• Maintain a case/procedure log
• Present article for journal club
• Present research project at senior research day (during the 4th year)

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

• Periodic assessment exams

All residents are expected during their residency to participate in and complete a research project. During their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years, residents are provided unstructured research time to aid in completion of this requirement. During this time, the resident is expected to identify an area of research of personal interest and develop, carry out and complete a research project under the guidance of a mentor.

Resident Research Day

The research experience culminates in a informal presentation at Senior Research Day, typically held in October of each year. This symposium, attended by faculty and residents, provides the resident the opportunity to present and discuss their research project in a collegial environment. The department awards a prize to the best research project of the year. About 80% of residents take advantage of departmental support to present their research projects at national meetings and/or submit to journals for publication.

Research Seminar Series

Twice monthly the residents are exposed to ongoing research projects in the department. Many of the clinical and basic science researchers give overviews of their research topics and outcomes. This allows the residents to gain more exposure to current and future departmental research that they otherwise might be unaware of.

Journal Club

All residents participate in a monthly journal club to discuss relevant radiology journal articles. Working with a representative staff member from each section in the department, two journal articles are presented per meeting, one by a 3rd-year resident (with an article selected by the faculty) and one by a 4th-year DR resident (article is selected by the resident). For IR-Integrated residents, 4th- and 5th-year residents will select and present articles for the VIR Journal club, held every other month.

The goal of Journal Club is not necessarily to learn content of the articles but to improve the residents' ability to critically evaluate the literature.

Research Funding

The Department of Radiology maintains a Resident Research Fund that residents can apply for. The funds are disbursed by the Radiology Resident Research Committee. Additionally, there are some other potential sources of funding available through the Carver College of Medicine and the Graduate Medical Education office.

The amount of hands-on training has always been a strong attribute of the UI Hospitals & Clinics radiology residency program. Resident participation in performing interventional procedures has long been a standard operating procedure in our program. We take pride in knowing that all of our residents, even from the beginning of their training, actively participate in the performance of radiologic procedures.

The Division believes strongly that residents learn best by doing rather than by observing. All residents, even the most junior, are expected to assume an active role in patient care and performing all types of interventional procedures, increasing in complexity commensurate with their level of training and confidence. Upon completion of their training, our residents will have been exposed to all types of radiologic procedures and will be expected to demonstrate competence in performing percutaneous biopsies, drainages, and basic vascular and nonvascular procedures. Limiting the number of fellows within our program helps assure active resident participation in performing such procedures. Additionally, the VAMC provides an excellent arena for residents to broaden their interventional experience.

Call obligations for the first 3 years of training in Diagnostic Radiology are relatively infrequent owing to the larger number of residents in training, and all call responsibilities are in-house only. The resident call pool is broken down into two groups: junior residents (long call) and senior residents (short call). We currently use a night float call system for long call. Long call responsibilities are comprised of consecutive nights of call. Junior residents (R2s) perform night float rotations during their 2nd year of residency. Friday and Saturday short and long call responsibilities are covered by additional residents outside of the call float schedule.

The junior residents' responsibilities consist primarily of interpretation of plain film radiographs, head and spine CTs, and emergency room films. Senior (R3) residents take in-house call until 10:00 pm and can go home when they've finished reading their cases. They then serve as back-up for the rest of the night for the junior resident on call. The senior residents' responsibilities include the more complex imaging modalities such as ultrasound, abdominal CTs, MRI and performing (non-angiographic) interventional procedures (drainages/lumbar punctures).

R4 and R5 IR-Integrated residents will be responsible for taking IR call every 4th night, with no in-house call.  An attending physician is always assigned to the resident, whether on call or during regular business hours.  The on-call resident is expected to stay until they have finished their daily clinic duties.  If the resident is called in to perform a procedure with the attending physician during the night, the resident is not required to come in the next day and can stay home for a minimum of 10 hours. 

For specific policies regarding call duty hours, please refer to the Supervision and Duty Hours page.

Conference Requirements for R1-R3 Residents

Noon Conference 

Formal resident teaching occurs daily at noon conferences, which provides instruction in radiologic imaging and principles in a structured, organized manner. As the premier departmental conferences for residents, the daily Noon Conference provides comprehensive coverage of topics germane to diagnostic imaging. These conferences are subspecialty-based and given by faculty members. 

The noon conferences are based on a two-year curriculum, to ensure that all residents have an opportunity to be exposed to information critical to their training twice during their residency. Attended by both residents and faculty members, this conference is critically evaluated by our residents for both content and quality. The Noon Conference is supplemented with frequent guest lecturers, which provides residents and faculty with the opportunity to hear nationally and internationally recognized radiologists. The Department typically has one visiting guest lecturer per month.

The Noon Conference schedule begins in July and August with the "Introduction to Radiology" series of lectures, generally geared toward the first-year residents, but attended by all residents as a general overview of the various sections within radiology.

Morning Conference 

Formal teaching is also accomplished through daily sectional conferences in all subspecialty areas. Morning Conference is a case-based conference to allow all the residents to see the interesting cases throughout the department. Although more informal than the Noon Conference, sectional conferences provide an additional means to assure that residents cover specific topics relevant to the subspecialty areas through which they rotate. The purpose of these sectional conferences is to provide additional assurance that residents are taught material that is thought to be so fundamentally important to warrant repeated individual attention.

• Morning Conference Schedule

  • Monday:  Ultrasound / Interventional or Mammography
  • Tuesday:  Body Imaging
  • Wednesday:  Neuroradiology
  • Thursday:  Chest / Nuclear Medicine
  • Friday:  Musculoskeletal / Pediatric Radiology
     

Core Radiology Review Course 

First year residents participate in a review course (using the Jacob Mandell's textbook Core Radiology). Faculty from each section are assigned to a session and they present a formal review of assigned chapters. This provides the first year residents with a general overview of the fundamentals prior to taking call.

Conference Requirements for R4-R5 Residents

Interventional Radiology Core Conference

This conference is held weekly and alternates every 4th week with the VIR M&M Conference.

Core Curriculum Sessions

These are held weekly and during the course of the academic year, vascular and non-vascular disease core materials are currently reviewed and discussions are led by the DR residents alternating each week. The material consists of selected chapters from comprehensive IR textbooks, “Vascular and Interventional Radiology: The Requisites” by John A. Kaufman and “Abrams Angiography: Interventional Radiology" by Stanley Baum, required reading material during the training. The residents will summarize and discuss a chapter from this textbook. Attending will be IR residents, the rotating radiology residents and medical students, as well as a designated VIR staff who will supervise the session.

Morbidity/Mortality (M&M) Conference

The M&M Conference will be presented monthly. Residents will present complications that they were involved in along with the responsible staff physician. In addition, the residents will be encouraged to attend Department of Radiology M&M.

Multidisciplinary Vascular Conference

This conference, held weekly by the Vascular Surgery Service, is an outstanding opportunity for the IR resident to become versed in the discipline of Vascular Surgery and will gain insight on the way this closely allied specialty manages the entire spectrum of vascular disorders. This will allow the trainees to become familiar with epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, imaging, and clinical evaluation of vascular disorders. It offers valuable discussion on the value of conservative management, and appropriateness guidelines of intervening on vascular diseases and the alternative of open and endovascular therapies available.

Radiology Grand Rounds

Department of Radiology faculty from all subspecialties and invited guest speakers speak to the combined Department divisions. Each IR resident will be assigned a topic to present at Grand Rounds.

Radiology/VIR Board Review

Case discussion is offered daily March through May. Five to six interventional review sessions are given by VIR staff, from which the DR residents participate and benefit from the “Oral Board” style interactions and reviews. IR residents will be expected to attend.

VIR Journal Club

Held bimonthly. DR Residents and the other rotating trainees discuss pertinent publications under the supervision of VIR staff members. IR residents will be expected to attend and participate.

Other Conferences

• Tumor Board - This is both interdepartmental and multidisciplinary. Residents will be required to attend if mutual patients are being presented; otherwise, residents are strongly encouraged to attend.
• Multidisciplinary Thrombosis Group Conference - This is both interdepartmental and multidisciplinary. When a specific mutual patient is being discussed, the IR resident involved will be required to attend.
• Gastrointestinal Conference - This is multidisciplinary. IR residents will be encouraged to attend but not required unless a mutual patient is being presented.
• Transplantation Conference - IR residents will be required to attend only when a mutual patient is being discussed.
• Renovascular/Nephrology - Multidisciplinary.  IR residents will be required to attend and their participation will be required as part of the discussion.

Link to our Weekly Conference Schedule

Diagnostic Radiology Training (R1-R3 Years)

The residents' rotation schedule is predicated upon the eleven subspecialty areas tested on the oral ABR examination. As such, all residents rotate through all subspecialty areas several times by the time they have completed their residency. The structure of the training program assures that all residents spend months in dedicated rotations in ultrasound, CT, MRI and interventional radiology.  

These rotations are structured so that resident experiences and responsibilities are focused specifically on these imaging modalities. Additional CT and MRI experience is gained through neuroradiology, head and neck imaging, chest, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, body MR, noninvasive neuroangiography and pediatric rotations. At least five months of nuclear medicine and PET imaging is also obtained to complete their training. Cardiovascular imaging is predominately taught on the body MR and chest months where advanced MR and CT imaging of the heart and peripheral vasculature is performed. Additionally, a noninvasive neuroangiography rotation has been established to supplement the experience on neurointerventional radiology. This allows the residents a chance to focus on the anatomy and imaging techniques required to obtain noninvasive angiography as more and more radiologic imaging moves into the noninvasive realm.

During the R1-R3 training years, residents assume greater responsibility in monitoring, performing, and interpreting radiologic examinations of increasing complexity, commensurate with their confidence level and experience.

Dedicated Training in Nuclear Medicine

All residents are required to complete 4 months of dedicated nuclear medicine training in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the ABR. Additionally, residents receive three months of dedicated mammography training to comply with the recommendations set forth the American College of Radiology.

Radiology Pathology

Radiologic-pathologic correlation is provided through the American Institute of Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) a six week course in Washington DC, which is required of all of our residents. The department pays the tuition ($1500.00) plus provides each resident with a stipend of $1500.00 used to defray the costs of expenses incurred at the course.

Veteran's Administration Medical Center Rotation

The resident experience at the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) is largely related to general radiology, and traditionally provides our residents with an excellent source of pathologic conditions. Junior resident responsibilities relate primarily to fluoroscopic procedures and plain film interpretation. Senior residents are responsible for more complex imaging modalities and interventional cases. Resident rotating through the VAMC are supervised by five full-time staff radiologists. Additional faculty support is provided by the UI Hospitals & Clinics Department of Radiology from the subspecialty areas of musculoskeletal, pulmonary, neuroradiology, angiography, and body imaging (CT and ultrasound). The VAMC Department of Radiology assumes some resident teaching responsibilities primarily through scheduled weekly conferences. All radiologic examinations and procedures performed by our residents at the VAMC are under the direct supervision and guidance of faculty members.

Obstetric Sonography

Residents are exposed to obstetric sonography during their ultrasound rotations. Radiology residents participate in the interpretation of routine and complex obstetric sonographic studies twice a week. An additional month of obstetric ultrasound experience is obtained with direct resident involvement through the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Interventional Radiology Training (R4-R5 Years)

R4 residents will be expected to gradually perform routine IR procedures independently over time, eventually moving to performing more complex procedures independently during their R5 year.  Procedures residents will participate in over the course of their training include:

Non-Invasive Vascular Imaging

CTA/MRA Abdomen/Pelvis
CTA/MRA Extremities
CTA/MRA Chest
Lower Extremity Arterial Segmental Evaluation

Angiography

Carotid/Cerebral Arteriography
Extremity Arteriography
Mesenteric/Renal Arteriography
Dialysis Graft/Fistula Evaluation

Arterial Vascular Intervention

Arterial Angioplasty
Arterial Stent Placement
Lower Extremity Arterial Revascularization
Peripheral Thrombolysis/Thrombectomy
Embolization (Any)
TACE
UFE
Aortic Stent Graft
Carotid Stent Placement
Stroke Thrombolysis

Venous Vascular Interventions

TIPS
Port Placement
Tunneled Catheter Placement
IVC Filter Placement
Venous Ablation
Venous Thrombolysis
Hemodialysis Intervention

Nonvascular Intervention

Biopsy
Chest Tube Placement
Nephrostomy/Nephroureteral Tube Placement
Biliary Drainage Catheter Placement
Percutaneous GI Tract Tube Placement
Abscess Drainage
Tumor Ablation
Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty

Radiology Library

The Department of Radiology maintains its own departmental library, which houses over 3,000 hard cover books, online subscriptions to all the major radiology journals, and over 250 CDs/DVDs.  All materials needed for resident rotations are available from the Radiology Library for checkout, eliminating the need for residents to purchase books if they choose not to.  The library is also equipped with its own computer lab, scanner, photocopier and overhead projector.  Computers in the library provide access to software that will assist in the creation of presentations, papers and other projects, including MS Office, Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat Professional software.  A friendly, on-site librarian is happy to help you locate the information you need.  Residents can also suggest resources for library purchase.

Hardin Health Sciences Library

Hardin Library is the University's premier health sciences library.  It is conveniently located within a few minutes' walking distance of the Department of Radiology and houses many books not owned by the Radiology Library.  It has an extensive print and online journal collection, as well as provides access to many useful databases including:

• UpToDate
• MD Consult
• Web of Science
• STAT!Ref
• Dynamed
• Board Vitals
• ClinicalKey

Other Resources

All radiology residents are also given access to STATdx, RadPrimer, and e-Anatomy.  In addition, residents have regular access to the Endovascular Skills Lab, which includes hands-on experience on 3-D vascular models, endovascular devices and skills training using various simulators to prepare for various complex scenarios.

All application materials, with the exception of the Dean's letter, must be completed by Oct. 14, 2024. Only completed applications will be reviewed.

U.S. Allopathic Medical School Graduates

• Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
  • A minimum of three letters of recommendation
  • Dean’s letter
  • Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital
  • Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a radiology residency and justify why you would be a good candidate)
  • Photograph
  • “Chairman’s Letter" not required

Osteopathic Medical School Graduates

• Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
  • A minimum of three letters of recommendation
  • Dean’s letter
  • Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital
  • Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a radiology residency and justify why you would be a good candidate)
  • Photograph
  • “Chairman’s Letter” not required

International Medical School Graduates

• USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores must be available before you can be considered for an interview
• Passing grade on the CSA or USMLE Step 2 CS on the first attempt
• Appropriate medical education to train in a large U.S. teaching hospital
• Previous radiology residency experiences, observership or clinical experience in the U.S. is strongly preferred
• Previous degree in U.S. (e.g, MPH) is also desirable
• US citizenship, J-1 or H-1 Visa
• Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
  • A minimum of 3 letters of recommendation
  • Dean’s letter
  • Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital
  • Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a radiology residency and justify why you would be a good candidate)
  • Photograph
  • “Chairman’s Letter” not required

The Department of Radiology encourages couples match applications.  We will work in conjunction with the corresponding department to attempt to streamline interview dates and times for both applicants.  More information on couples matching can be found on the NRMP website.

I got an interview! Now what?

Virtual Interviewing Information for the 2024-2025 Interview Season

We are working hard to ensure that you will still have an informative, interactive and enjoyable time with us learning about our program.

Your virtual visit to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics be held entirely via Zoom.

The interview day will include:

• A welcome and program overview with the Diagnostic Radiology Program Director, Catie Metz, MD
• A series of 15-minute personal interviews with program directors, a chief resident, and two faculty members (including one IR faculty)
• A current DR residents and applicatns-only Zoom breakout session to ask any outstanding questions
• Joining our residents and faculty at our daily noon conference
• Spending time with the interventional faculty and/or current residents for an overview of the IR residency, tour of the IR suites, and time to ask questions
• A final wrap-up before signing off

Those interested in Interventional Radiology (IR)

Applicants applying for interventional radiology will spend additional time with the interventional faculty and/or current residents for an overview of the IR residency, tour of the IR suites, and to ask questions.

Sandeep T. Laroia, MD
Clinical Professor
Program Director, Interventional Radiology-Integrated Residency Program
 

Catherine Metz, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program
Associate Program Director, Interventional Radiology-Intergrated Residency Program

Shawn Sato, MD 
Clinical Assistant Professor
Associate Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program



Michael Kwofie, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Associate Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program

Sandeep T. Laroia, MD
Clinical Professor
Program Director, Interventional Radiology-Integrated Residency Program
Vice Chair for Innovation and Commercialization

Gustavo H. V. Andrade, MD, PhD
Visiting Associate Professor

Francisco Donato, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Medical Director of Ultrasound
Interim Director of the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology

Michael M. Hummel, MD
Clinical Professor

Zachary Duncan, PA-C

Lucas Lenhart, PA-C

Nikki Stamer, PA-C

Brendan Carney 

Brief background:  Brendan grew up in Long Island, NY, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at Stony Brook University and medical training at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Personal Interests: Powerlifting, guitar, video games, hanging out with friends, and going out to eat.

Why IR: During my third year of medical school, I wanted to find a specialty that had a deep knowledge of pathology and the opportunity to do procedures. Radiology checked all those boxes for me. IR appealed to me due to its minimally invasive nature and the ability to provide definitive treatment to patients. About mid-way through my third year in medical school, I went to an IR symposium at Mount Sinai in New York City. I saw all the things IR could do and haven’t looked back.

Why Iowa: Iowa stood out to me on interview day because my interviewers had a genuine interest in me. I could tell the attendings took a lot of time to review my application and were very invested in resident education. My intuition was correct, I have gotten excellent education in the reading room and the interventional suite. At The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, you will see plenty of pathology. UIHC is a national and international referral center, a level 1 trauma center, and an organ transplant center. The Iowa City area is beautiful, affordable, and has a lot to offer.    

Rob Esposito

Brief background: Rob was born in Kansas, but was raised in California. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo, CA, before moving to Alabama and earning his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

Personal interests: Enthusiastic about personal fitness and most outdoor activities, specifically running, golf, hiking, snowboarding, spikeball, and relaxing at various lakes and beaches.

Why IR: When I was on my surgery rotation in medical school, a patient arrived in the trauma bay with a traumatic bleed. Interventional Radiology was consulted and the patient underwent an embolization to stop the bleed. Having little exposure to IR, I went to watch the procedure and knew immediately that IR was the right fit for me. The wide breadth of cases, minimally invasive nature, and significant impact of the procedures on patient care are just several factors that contributed to my decision to pursue IR as a specialty.

Why Iowa: Simply put, the people and the training. During the residency interview process, my interview at Iowa felt the most natural. The people I met were friendly and welcoming, and have continued to be throughout my training. Additionally, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics serves a large population of patients across multiple states, is a level 1 trauma center, and has positive relationships with the transplant surgery and oncology departments. Our faculty have diverse experiences and interests, including Pediatric IR, Interventional Oncology, and Hepatobiliary intervention. These factors have helped build a robust IR department that provides invaluable training.

Joshua Hanscom

Brief background: Born and raised in South Dakota. Obtained undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of South Dakota.

Personal Interests: Outdoor activities and weight lifting.

Why IR: Diversity of pathologies and patient populations. Using advanced and continuously evolving technologies. 

Why Iowa: Great environment and people. Outstanding hospital with comprehensive services. 

Mason Vaillancourt 

Brief background: Mason was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Iowa for undergrad and medical school.

Personal interests: Comedy and cooking vegan food.

Why IR: I really loved diagnostic radiology and pathology, but I missed some of the patient relationships I developed during my surgical rotations. Interventional radiology stood out as a specialty that would capture both of those features of my personality. Minimally invasive procedures are on the frontier of medicine, and I find it rewarding to provide major improvements for someone's condition with relatively little impact on their overall well-being. 

Why Iowa: After spending 8 years as a volunteer and student at UIHC, I know just exactly how special this institution is. Our radiology program is incredibly supportive of all trainees, and I saw our IR fellows get ample support to become strong, independent physicians. I love the Iowa City area with its small-town vibes and access to the world class medicine and activities of a large university. Our people across all the departments are wonderful to collaborate with, and I cannot imagine a more enriching training environment.

Seth Woods

Brief background: Seth was raised in rural southwest Nebraska along the borders of Colorado and Kansas. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Personal interests: I enjoy spending most of my free time with my wife and our two young children. We prioritize spending time with our church family and enjoying outdoor activities together like hiking and bike riding. I also love trap shooting, archery, riding motorcycles, golfing, and playing basketball. 

Why IR: There are many things that I love about IR: frequent technical problem solving and innovation; opportunities to treat patients of all ages with conditions of all acuities affecting practically any organ system; and constant collaboration with other medical specialties and healthcare professions. The unique combination of these qualities is what left no doubt in my mind that IR was the specialty for me, and I am very grateful to be where I am.

Why Iowa: Iowa was the most ideal fit for me and my family for various reasons, and I would encourage any applicant to engage in honest conversations with loved ones and mentors about priorities in order to find their best fit. Sometimes the most important factors are the simplest. Iowa works well geographically for us because our family is within driving distance. We have enjoyed the transition into our new church, community, and neighborhood. The people who make up the IR, DR, and surgery programs have been extraordinarily welcoming and supportive. Iowa's program will allow me to branch out professionally and will give me a broad skillset upon which to build my career.